There’s nothing quite so patriotic — occasionally entertaining, and, yes, sometimes loathsome — than the few minutes elected officials on municipal committees give to citizens to says whatever they want to say in the time allotted at the open forum portion of meetings.

In Fergus Falls, you’ll be needing one of these now.

The Fergus Falls Journal reports that the City Council and mayor have passed a new rule in the city that anyone who wants to speak in the council’s traditional “open forum,” will now have to fill out a form 24 hours in advance indicating what he/she wants to speak about and what he/she wants the Council to do about it.

The Council meets on Monday, so you’ll have to submit your form on Friday. Tough luck if something that happens in town on the weekend stirs you to action.

About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts where he was VP of programming for Berkshire Broadcasting Co. He was an editor at the RKO Radio Network in New York, and WHDH Radio in Boston. He is the founder of the MPR News’ website. He is a private pilot and flies an airplane he built.